Odds & Ends
by northstar333
Summary: A collection of random little drabbles crack!fics oneshots. Like that drawer in the kitchen that has a bit of everything in it.
1. Miasma: Kagura

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Dark/Angst

Characters: Kagura, Naraku

Type: Drabble

Rated: PG

# Miasma #

Her earliest memory is of frolicking with other zephyrs under a crisp starry sky, with the dreamy murmurs of the slumberous sea below.

Her next is the white feather.

Its innocent, tantalizing beauty enthralls her as she imagines all of the playful _possibilities_ it embodies. She reaches for it…and everything goes black.

Her third memory is of the fog.

It binds her; she who has always been free. Dark and slick, it leaves an oily rainbow smear where it brushes against her shining hide. It burns like acid every time she inhales, each breathe an inevitable vulnerability it gleefully exploits. Thick blackness invades her throat as she cries in pain.

The fog's seeking tendrils entwine their way through her essence like the twisted, gnarled roots of a tree. From an infinite number of tiny, stinging bites, it sucks her dry, stripping her of her identity.

It cocoons her gently within its gut in a grotesque parody of a mother's embrace. With starvation and captivity, it teaches her how to feel despair and rage. She learns to hate; and her corruption is complete. Her innocence and freedom lost.

The fog shapes her into a new being. Then it tears her heart from her chest and seals up emptiness inside.

Light and sound return as her dark sheltering parent spews her onto a wooden floor. Naked, shivering, she struggles with her heavy new body, looking up into the contemptuous crimson eyes of a sinister, eerily beautiful man.

"Servant, thy name is Kagura."


	2. Child's Play: Izayoi

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: General

Rated: G

Characters: Izayoi, Inuyasha

Type: Drabble

# Child's Play #

She watches the children play ball in the courtyard.

She watches her little boy join them.

_Such innocent faces; such innovative cruelty._

She hears the taunts of "Fetch, dog, fetch!" and "_Beg_ for it, mutt!" She watches the way her son's face lights up with shameless joy as he plays along.

She _hates_ it; so much so that she trembles and tears of rage trickle down her cheeks.

But…

She does not interfere.

She feels like a general; viewing her troops at war. She sees the earnest determination shining in her son's eyes; knows the depths of his young heart. And so, she lets him be, wagering that her son will be able to overcome the cruelty the other children have learned from their parents.

At last, they tire of mocking him and run off, leaving him crying and alone.

Now she allows herself to step in. She goes to him, embraces him, and presses his tear stained face against her breast.

"_Why Mama? Why are they mean to me?"_

"_Because you are different, my love."_

"_That's not fair!" _

"_No,"_ she agrees, then after a pause she asks, _"Will you give up?"_

"_No!"_ he replies stubbornly.

She nods in acceptance and holds him as his tears run out. Tomorrow she will stand aside as he tries again. Tomorrow, she will be there for him when he cries. Not because she believes that their cruelty is justified, but because she believes in her son's strength.

Because she is his mother.


	3. The One That Got Away: Miroku

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Character Thoughts

Characters: Miroku, Kagome, Inugumi

Rated: PG

Type: oneshot

# The One That Got Away #

_What a beautiful woman._

That first glimpse of Kagome's soft, curvaceous form would have stayed with me ever after, even if I had never come to be her traveling companion and friend. How unfortunate to find that she had possession of part of the Shikon no Tama, a necessary acquisition if I was to find and defeat Naraku, and that our next meeting would be under less than auspicious circumstances.

How very interesting to find an opponent worthy of respect in a dog hanyou.

How much I still regret being the bringer of ill will; of being the one to first utter the cursed name 'Naraku' to my friends. It was bound to happen sooner or later, their quest for the Shikon no Tama putting them on a direct path towards eventual confrontation with the demon.

That and Inuyasha's revenge.

Still, I cannot help but feel that I have brought the curse of failure with me into our small group. I cannot help but wonder if they would have succeeded by now without my dark presence in their midst.

Who knows how far the extents of Naraku's curse in my flesh reach. How susceptible it makes me and anyone around me to ill fortune.

I have to wonder, if the never ending greed of the Kazanna extends further than just my flesh, into my very soul.

I use people. Take and take without conscience and then regret what I have done.

That taste of bitterness is never enough to keep me from doing it again.

To suck strangers dry and move on is infinitely more comfortable than to face the fact that one day I might truly hurt my friends. That one day I might truly, in the very literal, very real sense of the Kazanna, take _everything_ from them—even their very lives.

_Kagome._

After those first few times, I never lay hands on her again. Opportunities abound, but with her, I am always _extremely_ careful.

_Inuyasha, Shippo, Kirara…and Sango._

They are all strong enough to withstand my taking. They are all selfish enough to withhold that which they value most from me.

All but…Kagome.

Kagome is a giver.

And I…I am a taker.

_Everything._ My greatest fear is that I will take everything from her. That I will ask for all of it, and she won't refuse me.

_Friends. _

I can never be anything more to her than a friend. I am not so thick skinned as Inuyasha; I cannot take without seeing the damage of my taking, without being _aware_ that I am taking and that it is causing pain.

And so I…give. Advice. Laughter. Support. Comfort.

All from a distance.

I do not have to worry about Sango, for Sango can take care of herself. With one hand, Sango takes freely what she needs even as with the other hand she gives freely what I need. Upon the basis of that mutual cooperation is our stable love built.

Ahh, but I will always have a weakness for Kagome.

The one that got away.

The one I could not have.

The one my love might have destroyed, had I let myself love her.


	4. Why He Smiles: Sesshoumaru

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Character Thoughts

Type: oneshot

Characters: Sesshoumaru

Warning: Language

Rated: PG13

# Why He Smiles #

To everyone else, _he_ is a hero, an idol, a king. _He_ is their lord and sovereign; _he_ can do no wrong in their eyes. In tribute to _him_ they offer up their wives and children, their trust, their hopes, their very lives.

And _he_ smiles for them.

_Fools._

They call him a disappointment to his father. They find him lacking when measured against his mother's grace. For the most part they ignore him in favor of fawning over someone whose power and position surpasses his own as the underage heir.

Except for _him._

His father, his ideal, his goal, his role model, deigns to pay attention to him. And in the beginning, it is like sunshine and rain. Eagerly he soaks it in; hungrily he looks to his father for more. For a time, there is innocent bliss as he basks in the glory of being his father's favorite.

But then…a casual comment here, a missed promise there…his small, bright world shatters so easily. Again and again it happens, and yet he forgives; because his father can do no wrong, because his father is his _hero._

Until his father picks up a sword, places one in his hand, and starts to teach him how to hurt others. Until his father teaches him how very _weak_ he still is. Until his father _revels_ in making him feel helpless.

One by one, they turn a blind eye to his dilemma. One by one, they willingly ignore the abuse happening right under their very noses. One by one, they earn the death he will grant them by his hand.

Even his mother, mystical, mercurial creature of comfort and coldness that she is, chides him for his _whining._

_Bitch._

All they see, all they _want_ to see, is the way _his_ smile brightens in the face of adversity. Only he knows that underneath that brilliant smile there seethes a rage so black inside his father that the hell sword So'unga resonates with it perfectly. Only he knows, that for every flippant grin, every dismissive shrug, every witty comment, _someone's_ pain will be the ultimate result. Most often, it is his.

His father smiles most beautifully when _he_ has ruined a life most completely.

He thought he escaped that legacy with his father's death. Standing, watching Tensaiga with its fully mastered Meidou-Zangetsuha be reabsorbed into Tessaiga, he realizes that his father has left one last cruel twist for his favorite victim.

Sesshoumaru smiles and thinks of death.

Just like his father.


	5. Innocent Bystander: Kag, Kik, Inu

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Tragedy

Characters: Kagome, Kikyou, Inuyasha

Type: Drabble

Rated: G

# Innocent Bystander #

Under the light of the full moon, even her human eyes can see the soft luminescence of the shinidamachuu.

She can see the faint shine of Inuyasha's silver hair as he vanishes into the dark shadows of the forest.

The pain starts as a small ache beneath her breastbone, a worrisome discomfort that she rubs absently with the heel of one hand. She is unaware of the upwelling of her tears until one escapes and trails forlornly down her cheek. The need to call to him builds up inside of her in a demanding rush so that when she opens her mouth she expects a harsh shout…

"_Inuyasha," _

…but his name comes out no more than a whisper as she realizes it is futile.

Tortured agony blossoms in her chest; sinking down into her being, down into the depths of her heart. Starkly aware of her own helplessness, she breaks down and cries. Soft choked sobs, angry tears of frustration, and a low, almost inaudible keen of hopelessness as she realizes he will never be hers.

She has his love, his friendship, his trust, and his smile—but it is not enough to hold him. Because his love, his loyalty, and his promise belong to another.

Her.

Kikyou.

They are the star crossed lovers torn apart by treachery and hate. They are the two destined to meet again; to live out the tragic end of their love.

And she herself?

She is the victim; the innocent bystander caught in between.


	6. For Love: KikKag

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Yuri (girl/girl action)

Type: oneshot

Characters: Kagome and Kikyou

Rating: PG13

# For Love #

Kagome sat in the lee of the shadow of the great old tree, lost in sad thoughts. The soft sound of a footfall roused her from her deep contemplation.

"The usual then?" she asked softly, addressing the person behind her without turning around.

"Yes," Kikyo replied, "I have need of your strength again."

For a moment longer, Kagome let herself look away at nothing, tucking her private thought deeper into her mind where her soul twin could not easily reach them. She stood and faced the dead miko, dreading and anticipating what came next.

As mirrors images of each other, they reached for the other's shoulders and pulled her close. As one they locked their arms about the other's waist, bringing their faces together until their breaths mingled. In perfect harmony, each tilted her head to her right and joined her lips together with the others.

The crackling pink aura of their purifying powers enveloped them like a small hurricane, dancing about them in a whirl of agitated excitement. Within the eye, all was quiet and still except for the slight movement of their bodies as each yielded that last inch of resistance against the other.

The halves of the souls inside each of them writhed and fought against the other, repelled by the purity and determination of the other half.

Kikyo's hatred.

Kagome's love.

For a moment, the struggle was even, the balance between them perfect. For a moment, they stood joined as equals, as rivals, as sisters.

Then the balance of power shifted. Kikyo's absolute belief in her purpose dug deep and ruthlessly exploited Kagome's doubts in herself.

Inch by tantalizing inch; Kikyo's hatred won.

Again.

Kikyo's arms around Kagome caught the girl as the dead miko cradled her again her body. Never breaking the kiss, Kikyo stole away Kagome's breath, drinking deeply of the girl's life energy. With awkward gentleness, Kikyo eased Kagome's lax form onto the grass. She broke off the kiss, obvious regret written across her face.

"Not yet," she commented softly with an edge of disgust to her voice. With unconscious tenderness, she brushed Kagome's hair out of her eyes. Sitting down beside the sleeping girl, Kikyo waited for her to wake.

Kagome blinked as she came to, turning her head slightly to meet Kikyo's steady gaze. Her dark eyes clouded over with realization and disappointment.

"Not yet," she said regretfully in eerie echo of Kikyo's earlier words.

Kikyo merely nodded in affirmation, her eyes never leaving Kagome's face.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," Kagome replied, then winced as she sat up and a headache immediately started throbbing at her temple. "Or rather, I will be in a couple days."

Kikyo nodded again, as if this was the response she had expected. She stood, gathering the bow and quiver of arrows she'd set aside. Walking a short distance away, she paused in the sunlight and half turned to meet Kagome's eyes.

"Again?" she said; her question more of a statement than a query. A ghost of a mocking smile lit her face as she regarded the other girl.

"Again," Kagome replied, an underlying tone of steely determination in her voice.

For the briefest of moments, Kikyo's face softened into a sorrowful, wistful smile.

"You almost won that time," she stated with obvious longing.

"I know," Kagome responded, the beginnings of tears in her eyes.

"It's so painful. How do you bear it?" Kagome continued; her voice low and intense.

Kikyo's smile brightened until was an echo of her old, happy one.

"I believe in you," she said simply. "I cannot love Inuyasha as I am now. It's impossible. Nor can I become a part of you again without tainting you with my hatred."

All of the cheer left Kikyo's face as her expression became serious.

"Until your love for Inuyasha surpasses my hatred of him, I won't surrender him to you," she confirmed out loud.

"I'll never let you take him," Kagome shot back, her resolve as strong and as obvious as Kikyo's.

A smirk of self deprecation settled on Kikyo's face.

"Good," she replied with grim approval. Without further adieu, Kikyo turned and left; her purpose for being there complete.

Kagome sat for a time longer, contemplating the sad fate of her miko twin. She shivered with revulsion as an echo of that enormous hatred rippled through her heart. To be able to bear the weight of that cold loathing and yet retain control; to be able to feel all that pain and yet make no complaint—Kikyo was amazing. Even as much as she wanted to destroy Inuyasha; she still loved him more.

She _couldn't_ be with Inuyasha the way she was now. She stayed away from him to keep herself from hurting him.

But she came to Kagome. One way or another, she would _force_ Kagome to become strong enough to protect him; strong enough to overcome the hatred that Kikyo herself could not conquer.

Kagome shivered again, wondering if that day would ever come.

_Until then,_ the wind whispered with Kikyo's voice in her ear.

_Until then_, Kagome silently whispered back, her spirits lifting with fresh hope. If Kikyo believed she could do it, then she would. They would.

_For Inuyasha._


	7. Bitter End: darkKagome, Naraku

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Snark

Type: Drabble

Characters: Kagome and Naraku

Rated: PG

Warning: OOC for Kags

# Bitter End #

She thought it would end with a violent clash. She thought that there would be no satisfaction but the completion of the task at hand. She thought that, in her innermost heart, there would be no time for pettiness or revenge.

She was wrong.

Naraku lay at her feet, dying a slow death. Cast in the amber gold colors of the fading sunset, he gasped and bled.

She smiled.

"How does it feel to suffer?" she asked as she crouched next to him. "Are you in enough pain? Do you need more?"

He choked and sputtered out a curse. She smiled and leaned over to kiss an unsullied part of his forehead.

"Don't worry," she said softly. "Kikyo's waiting for you in hell; and I'm sure she'll be just _thrilled_ to see you."

His small sound of pain caused her to almost laugh in delight.

"Can you take a message for me? When you get to hell, tell Kikyo not to worry; that Inuyasha's doing _just fine _with me here to comfort him."


	8. Naraku Makes A Wish: Everyone

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Humor, Silly, Snarky

Warning: Language and mention of sex

Rated: PG13

Characters: Sess-gumi and Inu-gumi, Naraku

Type: Crack!fic

# Naraku Makes A Wish #

Naraku held the glass jewel between finger and thumb, admiring the dark sluggish swirl of miasma that tainted its virgin purity. Through the orb the candlelight was sullen and twisted, a dark grey black that was neither light nor darkness but a misty mixture of the two.

Pleased by the final accomplishment of all his goals, he allowed himself a moment to gloat before he bid the jewel grant him his wish. At last, after all the opposition that had stood in his way, he, Naraku, was at last triumphant. Despite the best efforts of the wolf, the dogs, the fox, the cat, the mikos, the monk and the slayer, he had won. He had rid himself of both Kikyou and his cursed preoccupation with her.

He had conquered all.

He was free.

There was only one thing left to do.

With a smug smirk, Naraku wished for the jewel to make him the most powerful being in all the land. There was a small audible pop, and the tinkling sound of glass as the Shikon no Tama shattered into a zillion grains of sand.

Tensaiga gave an impatient jerk in its sheath and began pulling Sesshoumaru towards the group of his brother's followers. He arrived to a chorus of Inuyasha's curses, watching with interest as the hanyou flung Tessaiga—sheath and all—as far as he could throw it. He and his small group joined Inuyasha's as they all stared at Tessaiga, watching it determinedly rattle its way out of its sheath. There was a mixture of awe and horror on everyone's faces as the sword flop about like a fish on land, screaming obscenities at all of them in a high pitched voice that was remarkably like Naraku's.

"$ hanyou!! #$$#$ miko!! &$(#& dog demon!!!"

There was a very long silence, which was broken only by the stifled giggles of Shippo.

"#$#$# kitsune!! How DARE you mock ME!! I am the most powerful being in all the land!! FEAR ME!!!"

The sword tripled its antics as it morphed into its full length, sunlight flashing off of its sides as it aggressively flipped its way across the ground towards them. One by one, Kagome's, Sango's, and Miroku's laughter joined Shippo's as the reality of their fearsome enemy's plight gradually sunk in.

"It's not funny!" Inuyasha growled angrily. "That's MY sword!"

With doggie ears pinned back against his skull, he made a dash within reach and snatched up the hilt in both hands.

"Filthy hanyou!!" Naraku screeched, "How DARE you fondle me so familiarly!!"

Black lightening crackled along Inuyasha's hands and arms until he was forced to drop the hilt. The sword let out an evil cackle that sounded like a pissed off chipmunk.

"Kukukuku! That's right!" Naraku purred with triumph. "Just try that again, stupid #$!$#!!"

As Inuyasha fell back with a hiss of pain, looking down at his scorched hands, Naraku continued his gloating.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" the sword snickered, punctuating each laugh with a somersaulting flip in the air. "I am the most evil, the most powerful, the most—eep!"

Naraku's tirade stuttered to a halt as Sesshoumaru's hand wrapped around the hilt.

"Ah—" Kagome and Sango exclaimed collectively.

"Wait!" Miroku called out a warning.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin and Jaken cried worriedly.

"You can't—" Inuyasha protested instantly.

"Unhand me you over sized pea brained monster!" Naraku squeaked vehemently, "The LAST thing this Naraku wants is for YOU to touch me THERE!!"

Black lightening danced around the fur at the base of the hilt, but spread no further as if it hit an invisible barrier. The entire length of the sword vibrated with the strength of Naraku's fury, but all of his efforts were impotent against Sesshoumaru's grip.

"Bitches," Sesshoumaru growled back menacingly. "Who do you think I am?!"

"#$#!! Stupid f'ing $!! $$—"

Naraku's string of profanities fell silent as Sesshoumaru used his youki to deliver a proverbial slap to the blade.

"You _will_ be respectful to your master," Sesshoumaru decreed with quiet malice.

"Master?! MASTER?!?!" Naraku howled, "This Naraku will NEVER serve YOU!!"

Sesshoumaru merely smiled, pushing the thick length of Naraku back into the discarded sheath.

"NO! NO!" Naraku shrieked with growing panic. "NO! No! You can't do this to MEEEeeeeeeee…"

There was a small click as the sword slid home in the sheath, which was overly loud in the stunned silence.

"Well, guess that takes care of Naraku," Shippo piped up.

"Miroku?" Sango prompted; and the monk unwrapped his hand, looking with wonder upon his normal palm.

"The Kazanna's gone!" he said as he showed his group of friends. His gaze turned to meet Sango's. Neither of them said anything, but from the way Miroku's eyebrows waggled, mostly everyone had a pretty good idea what those two were thinking. No one made a sound as the pair stammered out hasty excuses and hustled out of sight. It wasn't until the sound of tearing cloth and not so stifled giggles turned into the quieter sounds of flesh against flesh that anyone spoke up.

"Ne, Jaken-sama," Rin asked with bright, curious dark eyes. "What are they doing?"

Jaken turned an interesting shade of purple and sputtered ineffectively.

"They're making babies," Shippo said confidently. "Lots of 'em!"

"Oh," Rin puzzled it over for a moment before her face broke into a brilliant, hopeful smile. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Yes Rin?" he replied.

"Someday, will you give Rin lots an' lots of puppies?"

Shippo snickered as the inu taiyoukai gaped, momentarily speechless.

"I want my sword back," Inuyasha growled, taking advantage of Sesshoumaru's loss of composure to reach for the sword's hilt. The crackle of dark lightening deterred him at the last moment, and Sesshoumaru caught the hanyou's wrist in his fingers.

"Do not touch what is mine," Sesshoumaru warned.

"But it's mine!" Inuyasha struggled against his brother's hold.

Sesshoumaru smiled smugly. "Not anymore. You cannot handle the evil power of a Naraku infested Tessaiga."

"But you can?!" he asked skeptically.

"Of course," Sesshoumaru replied with confidence. "This is fanfiction, after all. There is no RT here to baby you."

"Fanfiction?!" Inuyasha repeated with a touch of panic. "How did I get HERE?!"

Sesshoumaru smirked evilly. "Same way we all did. Too bad _this_ authoress is not _your_ fangirl. Tessaiga's mine and so is she."

"For once it's not all about YOU," Shippo chimed in.

"That sucks," Inuyasha complained.

"It has its perks," Shippo replied.

"Yeah, what are those?" Inuyasha ask sullenly.

"Well for one, I bet you can get not only a _kiss_ from Kagome, but go all the way!" Shippo pointed out.

"Really?!" Inuyasha shot back with interest, eying Kagome with a look that made her blush. "#&$ I've had erectile dysfunction ever since I drew Tessaiga…so do ya think this 'authoress' can cure that too?"

"Sure!" Shippo replied with a snicker. "She can even make you an awesome lover!"

"No shit? Really?!"

"Yep."

"Keep the damn sword with my love, Sesshoumaru! I'm gonna go get myself _laid!" _Inuyasha shot out as he snatched up Kagome and disappeared.

"Is that okay?" Jaken asked as he watched the hanyou and the miko leave.

"Sure," Shippo replied. "After all, it's better to have the good graces of the fanfiction authoress and take what she gives you rather than piss her off."

"What happens if you piss her off?" Rin asked with wide eyes.

"She slashes you with Jaken," Shippo replied with a shudder that Sesshoumaru echoed.

"Oh," Rin replied with big, wary eyes.

"Hey!" Jaken protested. "I resent that!"

"Sorry man," Shippo replied. "But of everyone, you are THE horny killer."

"You are," Sesshoumaru said frankly. "Of everyone I've ever been paired with, and I have done _everyone,_ you are the one I can't get it up for without serious assistance from the writer."

"Even Inuyasha?" Jaken asked hurtfully.

"Even the hanyou," Sesshoumaru clarified.

"Nobody loves me!" Jaken wailed as he broke down into tears.

"Poor Jaken-sama!" Rin said as she gave the little green imp a hug. "Rin still loves you!"

"Would _you_ do me?" Jaken asked with wide, pleading, teary eyes.

"Rin doesn't love you like that," the little girl replied firmly.

Jaken sobbed harder.


	9. What She Knew Too Late: Kikyou

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Dark/Angst

Characters: Kikyou

Type: Drabble

Rated: PG

# What She Knew Too Late #

She burns; and her tears are unable to quench the tongues of flame that lick at her flesh.

Through the haze of smoke, she remembers the untarnished naivety of her youth. Back before good and evil smudged into shades of charcoal, she revered fire as a sign of undying justice, of burning resolve, of unwavering determination.

She used to feel a kinship with its bright purity.

Burdened with protecting the Shikon no Tama, she came to fear the dark, the dangerous, the unknown. With respect but no understanding, she utilized fire as an efficient, bright ally.

That was before the flames started to consume her.

She knows now that it is no better than Naraku in its greedy consumption of anything and everything as it struggles to survive and grow stronger. Properly controlled, fire can mean the difference between loss and salvation of lives. With the proper kind of flame, evil can be banished and a soul saved. Yet, even then, it is nothing more than a dangerous tool that can turn on its wielder.

Before, she never saw the _price_ that flame demanded for its obedience. She always saw the righteousness of the purpose and not the casualties.

She bid them burn her body with the jewel, not understanding that the Shikon no Tama is a different kind of fire. Within her blazing flesh, her soul burns as the jewel's flame demands its price. She understands, too late, the true nature of the Shikon no Tama.

_Devourer of Dreams._


	10. Beads: Miroku

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: General

Characters: Miroku-centric

Type: Drabble

Rated: PG

# Beads #

Beads.

He has worn them since the death of his father, inherited them _from_ his father so that he may live a normal life.

Or as normal as a monk with a hole in his hand can be.

For others, the reality of having a hand bound would bring forth emotions of anger, discomfort, terror, fear, and distrust. For him, the reality of having a hand bound _is_ the physical manifestation of calm, of comfort, of relaxation, of happiness and trust.

Everything he cares for depends on that slender, single strand of beads. It is a delicate safety, a fragile balance between the destruction in his left hand and the nurturing care of his right. Just as his life is caught between the teachings of Buddha that instruct him to look beyond himself and the base, urgent survival instinct that drives him to kill Naraku to ensure that his fate will not be like his father's.

Like the gaping void in his hand, his friends are the beads that seal the gaping void in his heart.

A circle of companions, like a circle of prayer beads, that are wrapped about his heart, holding back the dark yawning devastation of despair, of grief and impotent rage. Bonds of friendship that define the cold yearning for revenge from the warm acceptance of affection.

So that he may not only survive, but _live_ the life he has.

For as long as the Kazaana remains chained.


	11. Wish for Me: KagKohaku

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Romance

Characters: Kohaku/Kagome

Type: Oneshot

Rated: PG13 for darker stuff

# Wish for Me #

He sat, watching the amber glints of firelight dance off of Kagome's ebony hair. Between his fingers the strands were like water and silk; a sinuous slither of sensual delight against his skin. With the back of his index finger, he traced a delicate trail down the hairline of her forehead, across her temple, down to the shapely line of her jaw.

It was selfish of him to treasure her like this, without her knowing or consent, but he could not seem to help himself. She'd fallen asleep on his shoulder and he'd moved her head to his lap so she could rest better. Even after all this time, her easy trust in him still had the ability to catch him off guard.

He was no longer Naraku's puppet; his life was no longer tied to the last Shikon shard. The others, including his sister, trusted him implicitly now…but Kagome had been the only one to trust him then, to believe in him then.

She'd been the one who taught him to believe in himself.

Kagome's faith in her friends, her belief that all would work out in the end, was something he'd seen as blind naivety. Had he not believed the same before he slaughtered his family and turned on his sister? Had he not still expected some divine absolution to save him even as he committed sin after sin for the evil hanyou? With the naïve serenity of youth, he'd never expected anything bad to ever befall him. His good life, his good family had been something he'd taken for granted.

Perhaps such a privileged, sheltered life had made him soft. Maybe, had his life been a harsh struggle from the start, he would have had the inner strength to resist the temptation of Naraku's forgetfulness. Privately, in an opinion he kept solely to himself, Kohaku suspected that it simply was a matter of who he was and what he was not. Surrounded by the goodness of his family, he'd flourished and loved his life. Confronted with the anguish and despair of his family's deaths, he run into Naraku's waiting arms because he hoped in his most inner heart that the evil hanyou would do what he could not: end his life. His will to survive was too strong to let him take his own life, but his grief was too much to live with, so he let Naraku take control of everything.

Including the fate of his sister.

He owed much to Inuyasha, to Miroku and Kagome and Kirara for giving Sango something to live for. At that time, he'd not only failed his dead but his living family as well. He'd let the events of his life shape him, mold him without fighting back—so that the goodness of his family soaked into his skin like sunshine and Naraku's evil slithered into his soul like icy, choking darkness. He'd seen no way to break free; had felt trapped by both his past and present. He'd never hoped for any kind of future.

Until Kagome changed him.

Unlike him, she'd never lost sight of her dreams for the future. Regardless of her circumstances, her goodness shone from within. Her belief that everything would be alright was backed by a willingness to _fight_ for what she believed in. Her strength came from an unshakable faith in herself and those around her. Her friends.

And without any hint of doubt or hesitation, she'd included him in her circle, drawn him like a moth is drawn to flame. Her simplistic acceptance had both awed him beyond belief and terrified him down to the core of his tainted soul.

_What if he let her down?_

For the first time since his abduction by Naraku, he'd cared for someone other than himself. His love for Sango was tied to the dark sin of killing his family—and thus was walled away behind an inner chasm so deep and cold he dared not cross it.

Inevitably, his affection for Kagome bloomed into something more akin to worship. The fact that she loved another—another who had yet to treat her like he should—begin to bite deeper and deeper into his heart as he witnessed their daily interactions. Knowing the depths of Kagome's loyalty and forgiveness, he almost despaired of even beginning to impress his feelings for her on Kagome.

But, for the first time in his life, he found something he was willing to _fight_ for.

Long years followed. Many times his determination wavered as Naraku proved harder to eliminate than any of them ever thought. Amid the blood and brutality, the bright sound of Kagome's laughter pulled him forward and bolstered his spirits. From afar, he watched as Inuyasha and Kagome grew closer and closer…and yet never took that final step.

He continued to hope.

Gradually, with a kind of grim patience he never knew he possessed, he came to accept that Inuyasha would always hold a part of her heart. He came to understand that more than just their feelings held those two together. _Destiny_ and the force of the Shikon no Tama bound them to each other. Until the jewel's fate was resolved, neither Kagome's nor Inuyasha's lives would move forward beyond its twisted, invisible embrace.

He thought to never see any result to his furtive love—but it proved that _fate_ was liquid and changeable; as affected by the whimsical nature of _choice_ as a summer squall is by the direction of the wind.

Naraku's ultimate solution to grasping the completed Shikon no Tama was to deliver it—and him—into Kagome's hands. Poised in the shadows, holding them both in the palm of his cruel, knowing hand, Naraku forced Kagome to complete the jewel.

Hopelessly in love with her, resigned to his fate as an undead puppet whose life depended on the shard in his back, he surrendered himself to her in hope that with the last shard she would be able to escape alive.

Instead she made a wish.

For him.

She gave him back his life—and took his heart for good. Anything left within him that opposed or resented the love he had for her vanished that day. He ceased to question his _right_ to love her, whether he was _worthy_ of her and simply _loved_ her.

All the things he'd never dared to do before, he dared to do after. A new, quiet sort of confidence in his own feelings permeated through his being as he did all the small, considerate, overlooked things that he'd wanted to do for her for so long. He didn't do them to win her love, he did them for _her._

He never said how he felt out loud, but he knew she knew by the way her perceptive dark eyes watched him sometimes. The others, including Inuyasha, knew what he'd thought he'd kept hidden and so were unsurprised when he began to treat Kagome differently. One after another, they came to him with words of encouragement, of concern, of caution and warning. A few surprised him—Sango expressed the fiercest reservations and Miroku gave him the gentlest encouragements.

Inuyasha found him alone and they sat in tense silence for the longest time before the hanyou spoke.

"_In all my long life, Kohaku, I never expected to love anyone. In many ways, Kikyou will always be first in my heart because she was the first I loved. Kagome…is everything I could have wished Kikyou to be and yet…it is Kikyou I love that way and not Kagome. Kagome is and will always be my best friend, a part of me I never knew I was missing, but I don't desire her body as I desired Kikyou's. _

"_Be good to her, Kohaku. She trusts you; more than she ever trusted me. I hurt her too many times for her to be completely open with me and I regret that. I wish, in hindsight, I had figured out my true feelings earlier and told her so."_

With that said, Inuyasha stood and left.

And suddenly, Kohaku's hope bloomed anew. Looking back, it seemed that the moment he realized he loved her was so long ago. Sometimes he still questioned the unusual tenacity he showed in clinging to his feelings for her. Yet, one by one, he watched the obstacles fall between him and her until he couldn't help but think that it was meant to be.

Because of her wish.

He knew not to press her, to crowd her with demands. Like a silent, suffering shadow, he walked the dark road through heartbreak with her. Like a soft and gentle sunrise, he let her bask in the security of his love as her heart healed.

It was enough for him to be able to see her smile again.

His own unselfishness surprised him; he whose own self preoccupation had led him to embrace Naraku's twisted offer. Yet now…he needed her. He needed her to smile, to laugh and to be happy. He wanted to share those things with her, ached inside until the longing kept him up at night, so that he prowled restlessly through the night.

Perhaps he was selfish after all.

He wished she would look to him for support, for companionship. He wished she would look to him for _more_ than those things that were a part of friendship.

He wished for _her._

A strange sense of inevitability settled over him, a pressing awareness that once again something had shifted in his life to bring about change. When he looked down at Kagome in his lap, he was unsurprised to see her eyes open and staring up into his. Dark and mysterious, with the flickering light of the fire catching in them like sparks, her eyes seemed to take in everything he'd been thinking up until that moment.

Her slow, intimate smile had a warmth all its own that filled him with heat.

The weight of her fingers cupping the nape of his neck was like a heady illusion, something he'd experienced once in a dream. Obedient to the silent command of her touch, he let her pull his head down so that his breath mingled with hers. Without thought, without doubt, without protest, he let her butterfly her lips over his and trembled in response. Against her mouth, his lips shaped her name like a prayer, a benediction for this waking surrealism to never end.

"_Kohaku,"_ she whispered; and the murmur of her voice wrapped about his senses like spider silk.

Entrapped, enchanted by the spell of her kiss, he could do nothing but seek another taste of what had always been forbidden to him before. His lips closed over hers so that the firmness of his embraced the softness of hers. With a tentative suckle and a clever twist of his tongue, he opened her mouth to his exploration. Like a man dying of thirst he drank deep and greedily of her kiss, teasing her tongue into a sinuous, gliding dance that enflamed his lust and made his body go hard.

"_Kagome,"_ he gasped against her mouth as he broke the kiss for air, _"I love you, Kagome."_

"I know," she returned gently, her fingers tracing the contour of his face and cheek as her dark eyes glowed softly with affection and approval.

"You do?" he asked, his cheeks starting to pinken as reality began to catch up with him.

"I love you too, Kohaku," she responded, her slightly swollen and reddened lips curving into a pleased smile.

"You do?!" he exclaimed, the light flush of his face deepening to a cherry red as he realized _exactly_ what was happening and with whom. "But that's impossible!"

Kagome's smile turned rueful. "Nothing's impossible if you wish for it hard enough, Kohaku."

Her dark eyes were thoughtful as she studied his face. "Didn't you ever think I'd love you?" she asked after a moment.

"No," he replied honestly, catching hold of her fingers as they dropped from his chin. Too embarrassed to meet her gaze directly, he satisfied himself with watching their hands as he threaded his weapon roughened fingers through her long, slender ones.

"I've been hoping that you'd say something Kohaku, but I understand now why you didn't. Actually, I fell asleep waiting for you to make the first move," she admitted quietly, her gaze falling to rest on where their fingers were joined.

Looking up, even in the faltering light of the fire, he noticed the hint of a blush darkening her cheeks too. Somehow, that eased his own awkwardness, enough so that a mixture of amusement and affection mellowed out his mood. Giving her what he hoped was an encouraging smile, he dared to reach out and lift her chin so that she met his eyes.

"Would you like me to 'make a move on you'?" he took a risk to inquire.

With a kind of heady satisfaction, he watched as her blush deepened. But, despite her obvious embarrassment, her gaze remained almost startlingly straightforward.

"Please?" she half pleaded, half demanded, her dark eyes hopeful and hungry all at once.

Speechless with the sudden thickness of his throat, he managed to lean over and press his lips to hers in a continuation of their kiss. Immediately she threaded her fingers into his hair, dislodging the tie as she sat up and became the aggressor. With confident ravishment, she took hold of his head and angled the kiss in her favor so that she could tangle her tongue with his. Helpless to do anything but let her have her way, he did his best to respond to each of her impatient advances.

At last they broke apart, her chest heaving as much as his as they both panted with their exertion and the heat of their passion.

"Kohaku…" she started, the hesitation in her voice in direct contrast with the decisive aggression of her actions.

"Yes?" he replied, his voice a bit breathless.

"I wish…" she started, her face going hot with color.

"Yes?" he prompted her, reading her unspoken request from her expression like an open book.

"I mean," she stalled, her manor one of shyness, "It's just you and me so…"

Catching his look of pointed interest, she found the courage to continue.

"Can we…are you…do you want to…um…" she tried to vocalize her thoughts.

"What do you wish for?" Kohaku inquired softly, with poised anticipation.

"You," she replied simply, her face a complex puzzle of want, hope, self consciousness, fascination and impatience.

"Do you know what I wish for?" he asked her, spinning out the moment of realizing his dreams a little longer.

"Me?" she guessed with a tentative, impish smile.

"Yep," he confirmed with growing satisfaction. "Do you know what else I've wished for?"

She shook her head, waiting for him to enlighten her with impatient curiosity. Without further delay he showed her, and her response was everything he'd hoped it would be.


	12. Elixir: Naraku Kanna

Elixir

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Genre: Horror

Characters: Naraku and Kanna

Type: drabble

Rated: PG13 for darker stuff

# Elixir #

She is pale and perfect, his little puppet.

They don't see the invisible strands that guide her hands and feet. They don't see the spider scar on her that twitches as if alive. They only know she obeys him.

They all assume that her body is as empty as her mirror.

They would be wrong.

Kanna is alive, entrapped inside, helpless to do anything but watch. Her body is the vessel that holds the elixir that sustains him. On rare occasions he calls her to him and sips from the brimming cup of her pure, distilled fear, reveling in it.

#


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